Orthopedic braces are useful as preventative aids to prevent injuries to joints caused by motions or orientations of the joint that are outside the biomechanical limits of the joint. Orthopedic braces are also useful to promote proper healing of a joint following an injury to, or surgery on, the joint. Braces are also useful as a method to stabilize joints with arthritis, thereby alleviating pain.
Patients usually see a physical therapist to strengthen their muscle(s) after suffering an injury, undergoing surgery, or when afflicted with arthritis, conditions which can result in muscle atrophy. The patient may receive electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) at the start of the physical therapy to loosen their muscles before the exercises and stretching begins. EMS is also used by the therapist (as prescribed by the health care provider) to strengthen muscles that have atrophied. However, the delivery of EMS for muscle strengthening is sub-optimal, as it can only be performed when the patient is with the therapist. Also, current therapy implementations are painful for the patient.
Thus, there remains a need for stimulation that is better suited to allow the patient to treat himself or herself on a more regular basis than just when they are going to physical therapy.